Proper storage of medications

Medications may be degraded and ineffective if they are not stored properly. Below are the essential points to remember regarding the storage of medications:

1. Extreme heat may damage medications. All pharmaceuticals must be stored between 36°F (2°C) and 140°F (60°C). Drugs like aspirin break down into vinegar and salicylic acid on exposure to heat, which can cause stomach irritation.
2. Medicines must be stored in a cool, dry place. Kitchen or bathroom cabinets are humid and not ideal for storing medications. Pharmacies must maintain a relative humidity level between 40% and 80% to prevent moisture from building up inside the bottles or capsules, which can lead to spoilage or damage.
3. At home, medicines should always be stored in their original container.
4. Proper labeling methods must be followed in the pharmacy. Drugs that require special refrigeration should have “Refrigerated” written next to their name on the label. Drugs that need controlled humidity levels should have “Moisture Controlled” written next to their name on the label.
5. Schedule I and II drugs must be stored in a safe or a substantial construction steel cabinet.

List of common medications that need refrigeration: Medications that require refrigeration include insulins, reconstituted antibiotic suspensions like amoxicillin, certain eye drops like latanoprost, chloramphenicol ear drops, vaccines, interferons (Pegasys) and filgrastim (Neupogen) injections, Miacalcin nasal spray, lorazepam and gabapentin oral drops, adalimumab (Humira), EPOGEN (epoetin), Enbrel (etanercept), Sandostatin (octreotide), capsules and tablets of ritonavir, chlorambucil (Leukeran), melphalan (Alkeran) and etoposide (VePesid) and cervical gels like Prepidil containing dinoprostone. Speciality type 2 diabetes injections like Byetta that contains exenatide and Victoza that contains liraglutide also need to be refrigerated. Semaglutide containing medications like Ozempic and Wegovy need to be refrigerated at 36-46 degree F before first use.